When it comes to Sunraysia horticulture, no matter how big the business, much of it is incredibly reliant on one of the smallest inputs available.
The bee.
More precisely, the incredibly efficient and effective European honeybee (Apis mellifera).
Which is directly responsible for the success of more than 33 per cent of all Australian agricultural production – and at the same time the beekeepers, the apiarists, will also harvest around 40,000 tonnes of honey per year.
This is Australian pollinator week and the wider agricultural industry is celebrating their hard work by showcasing the value honey bees bring to the sector as well as the research, development and extension projects which contribute to this vibrant industry.
AgriFutures honeybee and pollination program manager James Holding told North West Farmer the economic contribution of honeybee pollination to Australian crop production is enormous.
“Honeybee pollination contributes approximately $4.6 billion to crop production in this country and the value of crops grown in Australia that are at least partially reliant on honeybee pollination is $12.9 billion,” Mr Holding said.
“From almonds to avocados, watermelons and mangos, honeybees are vital for the pollination and production of many of our favourite foods.
“Bees are also the unsung heroes of broadacre crops such as cotton, canola and lucerne.”
He said research had also shown a clear buzz around recreational beekeeping, with recreational hives increasing from 140,430 in 2019 to 235,555 today.
“There are a few key drivers behind these soaring numbers including the increased awareness around the importance of honeybees, the uptake of new hobbies during the COVID-19 pandemic and previously unrecorded hobbyists registering in response to government requests post the 2022 varroa mite incursion.” Mr Holding said.
He said the program had undertaken a range of research in the pollination space over the years.
Those research projects include the recently completed value of pollination in the Australian economy, size and scope of the honey bee and pollination industry, the impacts of prescribed burning on the honey bee and pollination industries, and the clover4bees pilot study.
“These projects build on the foundation of many prior research projects that investigated pollination and a range of other key topics covering pests and disease management, nutrition, genetic improvement, floral resources and more,” Mr Holding said.
“Many years of research and collaborations have helped to build the industry we have today, and it’s important to reflect on the importance of the humble, yet vital honeybee.”
The AgriFutures program is working to:
* Improve hive productivity with innovative pest and disease control, feeding, breeding, and automation solutions (with an emphasis on varroa).
* Improve pollination, floral resource access and industry sustainability.
* Enhance industry capability.
* Deliver quality Australian honey with well characterised attributes and traceability.
HONEYBEES AND POLLINATION IN AUSTRALIA
Across Australia, there are almost 2000 commercial beekeeping enterprises and more than 47,000 recreational beekeepers.
NSW is home to 31 per cent of the nation’s beekeepers and 46 per cent of its hives.
In the past five years, commercial and recreational beekeepers collectively produced an average of 39,600 tonnes of honey per year.
The value of crops grown in Australia in 2020-2021 that are at least partially reliant on honeybee pollination was $12.9 billion.
The value of honey, beeswax and additional hive products produced by commercial and recreational beekeepers, and income received from paid pollination services in 2023 was $623.8 million.
